Saucy sustainability: Kraft Heinz and Pulpex pioneer paper-based ketchup bottles

11 May 2022 --- Kraft Heinz is partnering with Pulpex to develop a paper-based, renewable and recyclable bottle made entirely from responsibly sourced wood pulp. Starting with its ketchup bottle, Heinz is “the first sauce brand” to test the potential of Pulpex’s paper bottle for its condiments range.

Pulpex says its current data indicates the carbon footprint of its bottles is materially less than conventional glass and plastic options on a bottle-by-bottle basis. Once used, the paper bottles are also expected to be widely and readily recyclable in paper waste streams.

Heinz and Pulpex are developing a prototype to test how the cutting-edge innovation could be used for Heinz tomato ketchup bottles and other packaging formats in years to come.

Prototype testing
Packaging waste is an industry-wide challenge, highlights Kraft Heinz CEO Miguel Patricio. “That is why we are committed to taking steps to explore [environmentally] sustainable packaging solutions across our brands at Kraft Heinz, offering consumers more choices.”

Pulpex’s current data indicates its bottle’s carbon footprint is materially less than glass and plastic alternatives.“This new Heinz bottle is one example of how we are applying creativity and innovation to explore new ways to provide consumers with the products they know and love while also thinking [environmentally] sustainably.”

The next step in the process will involve prototype testing to assess performance before consumer testing and market entry.

Paper’s popularity
Kraft Heinz says it plans to continue discovering more environmentally sustainable packaging options for its brands.

“We hope to bring this bottle to market and to be the first sauce brand to provide consumers this choice in their purchasing decisions, as many consumers today are looking for more [environmentally] sustainable packaging options,” says Rashida La Lande, EVP & global general counsel and chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer at Kraft Heinz.

“We believe that the scope for paper-based packaging is huge, and when global household names like Heinz embrace this type of innovative technology, it’s good news for everyone – consumers and the planet,” says Scott Winston, Pulpex’s CEO.

According to Innova Market Insights, 71% of global consumers perceive paper as a good or excellent packaging material for recyclability.

Last year, The Estée Lauder Companies entered the Pulpex partner consortium as the organization’s first prestige beauty company supporting the development of a recyclable paper bottle made from responsibly-sourced pulp.

“Packaging waste is an industry-wide challenge that we must all do our part to address,” highlights Heinz CEO Miguel Patricio.Environmental sustainability at Heinz
The pulp-based bottle would become the newest option available to Heinz tomato ketchup fans, joining the recyclable Heinz iconic glass bottle and plastic bottle. The brand also offers plastic squeeze bottles with 30% recycled content (available only in the EU).

Also for its ketchup bottles, Heinz has introduced its first fully recyclable cap for its squeezable ketchup bottles. The cap arrives after eight years of R&D, involving more than 185,000 hours and US$1.2 million investment.

Last year, Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy launched the two-year Composting Consortium to increase the recovery of compostable food packaging and pursue circular outcomes.

Composting Consortium’s founding partners are PepsiCo and the NextGen Consortium, composed of Starbucks, McDonald’s and other foodservice brands. They are joined by supporting partners Colgate-Palmolive, Heinz, Mars, Incorporated and Target Corporation, and industry partners the Biodegradable Products Institute and the US Plastics Pact.

Heinz has also replaced the shrink wrap on its beans, soups and pasta varieties with WestRock’s recyclable paperboard sleeve. The move was estimated to remove 550 metric tons of plastic packaging from UK supermarket shelves as part of Heinz’s £25 million (US$26.4 million) investment in more environmentally sustainable packaging.

By Natalie Schwertheim

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